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Monday, May 30, 2005

A book for the bonfire

Hatemongering homophobe Janet Folger’s new book The Criminalization of Christianity , should go straight to the bonfire. By all critical accounts, her book continues with the theme that America should be a theocracy, homosexuals are mentally ill (and fixable), and that Christianity itself is under attack. Of course, with Bush and the fundies in power, nothing could be further from the truth. I will not read it. I may buy a copy to burn, but I will not read it.

Her book jacket reads:

Right now, people in powerful places want nothing less than to eradicate Christian faith from American society.

At first the attacks were subtle. The Supreme Court ruled that children can't pray in school. The Ten Commandments were removed from our classrooms and, later, our courtrooms. Now pastors are being imprisoned for speaking out against homosexuality from their own pulpits, people in New York are fired from their jobs, and kids in California are suspended from school. Their "crimes"? Nothing more than exercising their religious freedoms.

How in the world did we get to this place in a "free" and civilized society? And how far will it go?

While you have the right to remain silent and watch as Christianity becomes criminalized in America, it's not what God would have you do.

If it sounds kind of "out there" it is because it is.

Her first point, prayer in school and the Ten Commandments - she misses that America is in fact secular by design. Religion is a private matter and not to be infused in our public institutions.

Her second point, pastors being imprisoned - well perhaps they should not degrade themselves and Christianity by preaching hate speech in a public forum in violation of federal and state laws.

Her third and fourth points - well again, if you break the law...

Folger has a long history of extremist beliefs and out of the mainstream positions. Yet, she has access to people in power so that makes her dangerous.

I am adding Janet Folger and her faith2action organization to my nutball list. I know Pastor Brad will object, but what the hell. There will be more to come on this I am sure.

4 comments:

I'm not aware of Christian pastors in America being imprisoned for politically incorrect statements, altho this has happened in Eurabia, which has no First Amendment. Pastors should be free to say whatever they want in church, short of inciting violence. And she has a point that the Constitutional ban on establishing a state religion has been stretched to include things that in no way establish a state religion

I think she is referring to the Philadelphia four, who on October 10th lead a protest during a celebration of National Coming Out Day. The protestors used large signs, bullhorns, and a strident anti-gay message in an attempt to break up the proceedings. They were arrested and charged with violating federal hate crime statutes. One of the four is alleged to be a pastor and was simply preaching the word of God. Of course it was full of the usual anti-gay rhetoric… you’re going to hell, you’re an abomination, sick, mentally ill, that kind of thing.

I’ve lost track of the case, but my last check showed they faced 47 years in prison. The fudies are up in arms about it and have launched many “they are putting us in jail for preaching the word of God” type demonstrations since January.

I am for Pastors speaking their minds in Church. The first amendment is the rule here. We should respect it.

I am apposed to the Eurabia style religious hate speech restrictions – geez, I’d be carried off to jail the first week.

I am a fundy and I never even heard of the philly 4. The point isn't speaking whatever you want in church, it is speaking whatever you want in public. The founding fathers weren't dying so they could tell their kids over the dinner table that the King was a despot. They wanted to be able to speak on the street corner and in print. That is the place free speech, even moralistic religious speech, needs to be protected. For the record, I do not believe Christians' free speech is being limited in the US, and I agree with you that any chicken little that thinks this is happening in America because we decide to take down the 10 Commandments in a courthouse is neurotic. BUT for your own sanity, I think you ought to get some rest and live and let live a little lest you too become a little neurotic yourself.

this is my hobby - I do it for fun. There is little chance I will become any more neurotic than I already am, which is to say, not very much as all.

As Killing in the Name of Love plays on my iPod, I can add: The Philadelphia four were nutballs. By all accounts the approached their activities like the nutballs that protest outside abortion clinics. they were intrusive, hateful, and disrespectful. The leader repeatedly disobeyed lawful order to disperse and instead continued to spew hatred through their bullhorns. They violated the law, several laws in fact. The first amendment did not apply to their activities.

And for the record, fundie you are not. I would call you a real Christian.